Fertility clinic appointment September

[Scotgirl1]

Hi everyone

After TTC for a year I went to my GP and asked for a referral. Appointment has came through for September. Found out recently that Husband has low sperm count and motility issues. Suspect this is due to a varicocele. We haven’t told anyone and it’s so lonely :( most of my friends are mums or mums to be and busy with their own lives. Would love to chat to others in the same boat! Xx

Thanks for all your good luck messages! Just back.

I had my height and weight checked and then we both had carbon monoxide tests.
After this the Dr brought us in and took a brief medical history from us both. I had an internal exam and she took blood from hubby. She discussed hubby’s SA and said she was also concerned about his hormone levels (previous blood test done by GP). He has to do another SA. The poor motility is an issue as you need motile sperm for ICSI. We mentioned the varicocele but she kind of dismissed it. Hubby is seeing a urologist private but she said not to have surgery as this could damage things further? Honestly not what I was expecting. I’ve been Dr google and thought surgery was the way forward.

Not going on waiting list until we have results of hubby’s next SA and next appointment 10 weeks away.

The waiting room was packed. I felt so sad that we are all going through this but hopeful that we might get somewhere.

@LaurenN23 that was a fab appt!! U couldn't have asked for much better! I'm sure it's a weight off your mind and u feel like you're getting somewhere now 🙌

@Scotgirl1 Sorry your appt wasn't just as productive but at least your doctor seemed quite thorough and good that DH is getting another test done... hopefully there will be some improvement in his SA
I know 10weeks seems like a lifetime when it comes to this whole TTC carryon!

How's everyone else feeling today? Any more updates?
I'm in limbo land too, waiting to get last set of bloods done on Tuesday & also waiting on NHS clinic to release my consultation notes and blood and scan results so I can have all sent over to Reprofit Brno
Hoping and praying I'm able to send the last of the info they require by next Friday 🙏🤞

@LaurenN23 it's nice to hear you had a positive experience.

@Scotgirl1 it's sounds like you have a plan which is something. Maybe once your in the lost you might get lucky with cancellations

My appointment is just over a week away now, and apart from being fed up of waiting, I'm starting to get a bit nervous that maybe they won't be able to help us.. or that I might come away disappointed. Nice reading others experiences on here.. puts my mind at ease a little. I'm sure it would be so much more nerve wracking if I had no idea what to expect 🙂

@Scotgirl1 & @LaurenN23 thanks for the info from your appointments. It's good to have a better idea of what to expect at our appointment, makes me a bit less anxious.
@Scotgirl1 10 weeks does seem like a long time, but at least the wheels are in motion. I think I remember you saying in a previous post that you're in north Scotland. I'm in that area to so your experience is probably similar to what I can expect.
@duckling3 I know what you mean, I'm also nervous that they say they can't help, or that there's more wrong than we thought. it's the waiting that's the worst! At least you've only got a week to go.

Does anyone know if the GP has to give me a printed copy of test results if I request it?
When I've had my blood tests done previously I phoned for results and just got told they were 'normal'. As I've mentioned my husbands SA results were outwith the 'normal' range. On both occasions we didn't ask for specific results/numbers/percentages etc. I think we were both a bit overwhelmed and didn't think to ask and part of me didn't want to know as I would end up googling them and maybe panicking if they seemed really bad. Originally I wanted to wait until we had our first appointment at the clinic, but now I'd prefer to have the results in front of me so I know what they are and can ask any relevant questions at our appointment. I'd also like to know if my 'normal' scores are well within the range or at the lower end of 'normal'. I phoned the GP surgery but the receptionist has said she needs to check with my doctor to see if it's ok to give them to me. Does anyone know if there would be a reason for that or if I can insist on getting them?

@nextweek our GP’s had sent all our fertility related tests to the clinic so they had them to hand. You are absolutely allowed copies of your results. It’s a right under GDPR

Thanks @scotgirl1 good to I'm allowed copies, will see what they say tomorrow. They said they'd send results to the clinic but I'd like to 'do my homework' beforehand just in case there's any questions. There's been loads of helpful info on here and other threads about test results so would like to know what mine are, and husband's in particular since they seem to be the concern so far.

Hey @nextweek
Yep - it's ur right to have access to all ur notes ... I got all mine from GP
I requested the notes and test results the fertility clinic done too, and had to apply for them in writing.

Thanks all, I got a copy of my results this morning. Can anyone help me decipher them, I'm rubbish with medical jargon?! They were done on day 4 of my cycle, should have been day 3 but AF showed up a day early and it was the weekend so I couldn't move my appointment, so not sure if that will have affected any of the results. The results say...
T4 level - 18 pmol/L
TSH level - 1.96 mU/L
testosterone - 0.6 nmol/L
prolactin level - 82 mU/L
progesterone - 1 nmol/L
LH level - 4.3 U/L
FSH - 8 U/L
I've previously had the day 21 test done and it came back as 'normal' although not sure of the numbers and that was way back at the end of last year.

@nextweek I'm similar to you.. not sure what all the numbers mean. Sorry I'm not much help on this one. My doctor helpfully wrote on mine that things were as expected, but she didn't explain what everything was.

My latest nephew was born this morning.. and I feel bad for saying it, but I am feeling a little mixed about it.

@duckling3 it’s so normal to feel like that. We aren’t bad for thinking / feeling that way. When you want something so bad and you are completely helpless it’s so upsetting. Especially when others conceive with no issue and take it for granted. Keep the chin up :)

Hi @nextweek

The T4 and TSH are for your thyroid. T4 normal range is 12-22. For TSH there is a normal range, then an optimal range for conceiving. The optimal range is below 2.5, so you are in that range which is great. I was over 3 so I’ve had to go onto levothyroxine daily. It’s now down to below 2 though

If your 21 day test is ‘normal’ it means you ovulated, which is also great news.

Sorry, I’m not sure what the other mean!

Thanks @AlwaysSunshine1 that's reassuring to know that one of them is the optimal range. We're getting a copy of my husbands tests tomorrow, those are the ones causing concern really, so will post those and see if anyone else having male factor issues have any thoughts.
@duckling3 totally understand how you feel, it's so bittersweet, especially when it's someone so close to you. Please dont feel bad for saying it.

Hi all, how is everyone? Anyone waiting on appointments this week?
We got a copy of my husbands SA results this morning, these results are what are causing concern and the reason the GP refereed us, not sure how 'bad' they are though. Results as follows:
sperm concentration - 10 m/ml
Progressive motility - 48%
Total sperm number - 33 million
Total motile sperm - 16 million
Morphology - 0%
The GP didn't go into details, just said we could still get pregnant naturally but the results warranted a referral. My concern is the morphology one, if it's 0% does that mean there are no normal 'shaped' sperm?! Anyone with male factor issues know much about the numbers side of it?

They didn’t test morphology for us, so it might mean no results rather than 0%. I think I have the ranges at home, will check when I get in

Thanks @AlwaysSunshine1 they definitely tested my husbands morphology. The GP said his results for that and concentration were outside the 'normal' range (but didn't say by how much) but that his motility was ok. He's been taking vitamins, cut down on caffeine & alcohol, so hoping that might help improve things.

Here are the ranges we were given. I think he said if motility was okay then morphology didn’t matter

Yes @AlwaysSunshine1
My OH's SA was the same - they didn't measure morphology because his motility was so good it means there would be no issue with morphology because I asked these questions

Thanks for your responses @AlwaysSunshine1 & @Broodyaf I had no idea that morphology wasn't an issue if motility is ok. My husbands motility seems to be fine so I guess it's just the volume/concentration that's an issue.

That's really interesting. I didn't realise the morphology/motility combo wasn't an issue. My OHs results were low in both so I guess that's still an issue. Will have to remember to ask the doctor about it when we go in.

So much of struggling with fertility is hard, but I have learned so much about our bodies and how they work. That parts super interesting.

@duckling3 I know what you mean, there's so much about my cycle that I never even noticed before until I started tracking it for ovulation etc. This thread has been so helpful as well, I feel much better informed and more prepared for when we have our first appointment at the clinic.

Hey all -
Can anyone interpret these thyroid (TSH) and AMH results:
TSH 3.02 mIU/L
AMH 19.8 pmol/L ?

Thanks!

We're also waiting for an appointment with a fertility clinic in a couple of weeks. Not sure what to expect - we've had a lot of tests and filled out some forms, hoping they'll be able to suggest something to help.

@Broodyaf

Your TSH is in the ‘normal’ range, but the optimal range for fertilty is below 2.5 to 2.

My GP did not pick this up, but the fertility consultant did. She put me on 25mg of levothyroxine a day and it’s now down to below 2. It worked very quickly.

Your AMH seems normal according to Wikipedia! I’ve attached a photo of the ranges